Automatic attachment for fire-extinguisher systems



J. CJMELOON. T

AUTOMATIC ATTACHMENT FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEMS,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT: 15, 1920.

1 ,40 1 1 7 5 Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

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JONATHAN G. MELOON, OF PRGVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC ATTACHMENT FOB, FIRE-EXTINGUISHER SYSTEMS.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JONATHAN C. MnLooN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Attachments for Fire-Extinguisher Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic alarm attachments for fire extinguisher systems. In the alarm attachments most commonly in use, in a wet pipe system, the action is intermittent at times, especially when asingle sprinkler head is opened, so that the bell rings for a few seconds and then is silent. This is presumably due to the surge of water in the system which periodically removes the pressure of supply to the alarm mechanism and thus puts that mechanism out of action until the resurge restores the pressure temporarily. It is felt by insurance companies and others having a responsible interest in the restriction of fires that this is an unsatisfactory situation, but no means hitherto has been known, so far as I am aware, to correct it. It is an object of the present in- Vention to provide apparatus in which this objectionable feature of intermittent action is eliminated, and incidentally, or in connection therewith, the invention provides also for the same apparatus, which causes actuation of the alarm, to set in action any other operation, such as a whistle, apump, or a water motor with any desired amount of power, in any desired location, as for example, at a distance, with certainty of its continuing steadily in action. These objects are accomplished by a slight modification of and addition to apparatus which is already well known for actuating an alarm, viz., by providing so that the diaphragm which has hitherto been employed to close the drain from the drip chamber is arranged and con nected also to actuate mechanism for opening a valve from the main water supply, on the supply side of the alarm valve. This, which may be a quick opening valve, admits the steady pressure of the supply direct to the drip chamber and to the alarm apparatus beyond it, and permits any desired volume of flow, according to the size of pipe arranged for it, which may go to any desired apparatus, such as a motor, or to start a steam whistle or a pump. The invention Specification. of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 2'7, 1921. Application filed September 15, 1920. I

Serial n01 410,405.

may be embodied in various forms oi apparatus, one of which is herein shown for illustration. It is intended that the patent shall cover by suit-able expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the drawing herewith Figure 1 shows a complete apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary showing of a modification.

In the accompanying drawings, the first figure is an elevation in section of apparatus embodying the invention. The drawing shows a casting which may be of any usual or suitable shape and arrangement holding the alarm valve 10 of a tire extinguisher system. The supply of water under pressure comes through the entrance 11, past the valve 10, and out through the discharge portion 12 of the distribution system of the piping. The valve itself may be of any suitable type, and as represented has a clapper faced with packing material 13 which closes tightly over the seat 1% from the differential intermediate chamber (consisting of the groove 15) from which there is a drip passage 16 permitting flow of small quantities of water through the pipe 17 to the drip chamber 18, also called a retarding chamber. When the apparatus is normally set ready for action, this drip chamber is open to discharge its contents by gravity to atmosphere by a drain having an opening 19 into the pipe 20 which leads to an outside drain 21 discharging at any convenient place. At the bottom of the drip chamber is a diaphragm 22 set in a horizontal plane, pressed upward by a spring 23, and carrying a stem 2 1 which passes up through the drain opening 19 and supports the lid 25 above it, at such an elevation that when the diaphragm 22 falls, this lid 25 closes the drain 19. Vlhile the parts are in their ordinary and inactive status, the slight surge or water in the supply and distributing system, and the leakage from other causes, it any, lets small quantities of water into the pipe 16 and thence into the drip chamber 18 where it comes up to the level of the drain 19 and flows off without accumulating a sufficient quantity to affect the diaphragm 22, on account of stiffness oi the spring 23. But when a considerable opening of the valve 10 occurs, as by the opening of a sprinkler head somewhere in the system, the water flows continuously and in larger volume through V are.

pipe 17 which feeds the chamber l8. valve 3% may be of a quick the pipes 16 and so arranged that he 01" parts is larger than can be l w cnanbcr n on up when tne 1o tl-e dliEl'lQQ- ments 2? or W e 3c the apparatus F f contains, actuating said claim. ihe detect which it is the object of t invemion to remedy is that in some cases, usua ly where there is only sma a single sprinkler in tie alarm works only i F son for this is that i cient power of water su same being interrupted by a temporal of the valve 10, as a surging which withdraws the supply drip 3.6

Features of the invention which avoid these, diiiiculties and which produce improved and enlargec ttacili s are illustrated in the drawing by the pro 'sion of a tail stem 30 for the diaphragm 22, downward through the casing to the terior; and by the airrangeznent ot a fulcr 1 point 31 and lev conne ted to tne crum and to said oli stein so as to be operated by the latter, In consequence, when-- ever the diaphragm 22 is depressed by accumulated weight of water, it causes the lever 32 to swing through a correspondine The fulcrum 31 being at one end of the lever and the diaphragm connected intermediate of the lever, the tree end he lever is attached to the arm 33 ot a va 34- in an auxiliary water supply connection comprising pipe The latter leads from the main supply side of the alarm valve 10, from the region marked 11, and discharges into the drip chamber 18, for which purpose it may conveniently be connected with the The opening type, as tor example, a chronometervalve or a lever throttle valve, so that a small mova-iment thereof nialres a wide op ning. The attachment thus described, in operation,v insures that the supply 0% w: r is communicatedto the drip chamber 18 rem a. point back of the alarm valve 10, which is not sub ect to surgeQor at least is subject to it As the pipe 35 may be of any desired size, it can be designed so as to supply not only an abundanceor" water for said operation of the alarm 27, but for operating any other apparatus that is desired. This is indicated in the drawing by showing the fragment of'a pipe leading out from a T 37 in the system which is thus provided with the unfailing and amplesupply, which piping may lead to the apparatus or setting in action a steam whistle, a pump, a water motor, or anything else desired, any location desired. The attachment thus provided can conveniently be applied to existing systems because, so far as connections are concerned, it involves merely piping connections and the substitution or a new bottom plate 38 for the drip chamber 18, ii the style illus trated in the drawing be adopted in which the fulcrum 31 is integral therewith, and a new clamp for the underside of the diaphragm 22 having the tail stem 80. As the chamber under the diaphragm is normally open to atmosphere through a hole in the place where this tail stem is shown, no paclo ing or other complications are required which would add materially to the work that is to be done when the diaphragm 22 operates. The connection between the lever :32

V and the valve 3 1% is illustrated as a simple pin and slot connection, but it 1s obvious that any other suitable connection or levermight be substituted. find although the pipe 36 for operating auxiliary apparatus is indicated as being above the drip chamber, it will be understood that the some might be connected anywhere above the valve To illustrate such a different.connection a pipe 36 is shown leading from a cross in the drip pipe 17 to which the pipe 35 de livers.

The attachment thus described provides means by which the alarm valve well known in present practice and found in existing iustallations, can be arranged to control another and an independent source of energy, namely, a supply of water under pressure from the main system, in such form that it can be used for practically any purpose incidental to the operation of the system when a sprinkler head opens. The power that can thus be taken can be transferred to any place and can be maintained suiiicient in volume to operate any apparatus that may be de sired in connection with the system, such as water motor, or to start pump, furnish-- ing a supply always ready and considerably in excess of that which can be obtained from electric batteries.

2 shows a modification in which the valve 34-, corresponding to valve 34-, is

opened by a weight 4E0. When set, the valve is held closed with the weight up, by latch 41. This latch is illustrated as having bell crank shape, one arm being spring pulled to hold the latch arm in position to engage the valve arm 32. The weight 40 hanging thereon may be heavy enough to operate a large valve, because the part of the latch which carries it hangs almost under the fulcrum. Depression of the stem 30, by the diaphragm 22 releases the latch. The valve arm 32 may under these circumstances swing this a quadrant, or even more. Having once swung open it will so remain, even though the pipe which it opens does not lead to the drip chamber 18 and even it the supply of water through the passage 16 should afterwards fail.

Although the drawing necessarily shows the application of the invention to a. specific type of alarm valve, it will be understood that the same might be applied to an alarm valve in whichthe entrance to the drip passage is otherwise arranged, while being controlled by the opening or closing of the alarm valve, and that it may even be applied to apparatus which has not this specific type of drip or retarding chamber, as other means by which the flow of water which is consequent upon the opening of a sprinkler head sets into operation the alarm mechanism. The same thing which thus operates the alarm mechanism can release the latch or otherwise operate the valve 34- or 34 which controls the fresh, abundant, and in effect inexhaustible source of energy, to wit, the supply of water through the pipe 35.

I claim as my invention:

1. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system, comprising the combination, with a valve arranged in the water supply part of the system and having an intermediate chamber in its seat, a drip passage therefrom, a drip chamber with. a restricted discharge at a low level, and a spring supported movable bottom and discharge lid whereby water accumulates in the drip chamber, when the drip exceeds the capacity of the restricted discharge, and the accumulation depresses the chamber bottom of a lever connected with the chamber bottom outside of the chamber; a water passage leading from the system on the supply side of the said valve to the top of the chamber bottom and leading to apparatus that is to be operated, a valve in the last mentioned passage, and means whereby said lever opens said valve last mentioned when moved by said chamber bottom. 7

2. An attachment for an automatic sprinrler system, comprising the combination with a valve arranged in the water supply part of the system and having a drip passage from the valve, with a restricted discharge whereby upon the opening of said valve water accumulates in the drip system,

of a passage leading from the sprinkler sys- I tern on the supply side of its said valve and leadingto apparatus that is to be operated,

a valve in the last mentioned passage, and means whereby the said accumulation of water in said drip passage opens the valve last mentioned and simultaneously stops discharge from the said accumulation in the drip system.

3. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system, comprising the combination with a valve arranged in the water supply part of the system and having a drip passage from the valve, with a restricted dis charge whereby upon the opening of said valve water accumulates in the drip system, of a passage leading from the sprinkler system on the supply side of its said valve and leading to the place where said water is accumulated, thereby maintaining accumu lation notwithstanding closure of the first mentioned valve and escape of water from said accumulation, a valve normally closed in the last mentioned passage, and means whereby the accumulation of water in the drip system opens the valve last mentioned.

4. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system having in its supply portion a valve normally closed but adapted to be opened by flow of water to the sprinklers, said attachment comprising a pipe and valve therein adapted to lead from the system on the supply side of the said system valve and to lead to apparatus that is to be operated, and means, actuated by the opening of said system valve to open the second mentioned valve and maintain it open notwithstanding closure of the system valve so that the said apparatus will be thereafter continuously operated.

5. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system alarm valve comprising in combination a drip chamber with a yielding-1y supported diaphragm bottom receiving water when the alarm valve opens and having a restricted discharge, the said bottom yielding when the inflow exceeds the restricted capacity of the discharge; a passage from the system on the supply side of the alarm valve leading to the drip chamber and having a valve normally closed, and means connecting the diaphragm bottom with the said passage valve thereby admitting water from the system supply to maintain excessive inflow notwithstanding closure of the alarm valve.

6. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system, having an appliance operated by the flow of water through its supply per-- tion, such as occurs on the opening of a sprinkler, said attachment comprising a pipe and valve therein adapted to lead from the supply part of the system and to lead to apparatus that is to be operated, and means actuated by said appliance for opening said valve, the connection thus established being arranged and adapted to maintain said valve openv 7. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system'alarm valve comprising in combination a drip chamber with a yieldingly supported diaphragm bottom receiving Water when the alarm valve opens and having a restri-istccl discharge, th saicl bottom yielcl vrhen the inflow exceeds the restricted capacity of the discharge, a passage from the system on the supply side of the alarm valve leading to the drip chamber and having avalve normally closed, and means hetween said. bottom and said passage valve comprising a Weight for opening the valve, a latch upholding the Weight and thereby holding the valve closed, aclaptecl to be moved by the yielding of said bottom, whereby the Weight is released and the valve opened.

Signed at Providence, county of Provi clence and State of Rhocle Island, this fourth (4) day of September, 1920.

JONATHAN C. MELOUI. 

